Philena Munroe

Notes:

Ref: Lexington Munroes, 2nd ed. 14-65-4

Philena married David Johnson on 2 Feb 1804. David was born about 1777; died on 27 Oct 1860 in Lexington, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

John lived on Woburn Street in Lexington, Massachusetts. He was a minute-man in Captain Parker's company. His wife, Rebecca was from Waltham, Massachusetts. The following is his deposition:

I, John Munroe, of Lexington, a collector of tolls for the Middlesex Turnpike, being in the seventy-seventh year of my age, on oath do depose and say, that I was a corporal in the Lexington Company of Militia, which was commanded by the late Captain John Parker, in the year 1775; that, for some weeks previous to the 19th of April of that year, the company was frequently called out for exercise, and desired to furnish ourselves with arms and ammunition, and to be in constant readiness for action.

On the morning of the 19th, at about two o'clock, as near as I can recollect, Francis Brown, who was sergeant in the same company, called me out of bed, and said, the British troops had left Boston, and were on their march to Lexington. I immediately repaired to the place of parade, which was the common, adjoining the meeting-house, where sixty or seventy of the company had assembled in arms. Captain Parker ordered the roll to be called, and every man to load his piece with powder and ball. After remaining on parade some time, and there being no further accounts of the approach of the regulars, we were dismissed, but ordered to remain within call of the drum. About daylight, Captain Parker had information, that a regiment of British troops were near, and immediately ordered the drum beat to arms. I took my station on the right. While the company were collecting, Captain Parker, then left, gave orders for every man to stand ground until he should order them to leave. Many of the compnay had withdrawn to a considerable distance, and, by the time sixty or seventy of them had collected, the drum still beating to arms, the front ranks of British troops appeared within twelve or fifteen rods of our line. They continued their march within about eight rods of us, when an officer on horseback, Lieutenant Colonel Smith, who rode in front of the toops, exclaimed, "Lay down your arms and dispurse you rebels!" Finding our company kept their ground, Colonel Smith ordered his troops to fire. This order not being obeyed, he then said to them, "G-d damn you, fire!" The front platoon then discharged their pieces, and, another order being given to fire, there was a general discharge from the front ranks. After the first fire of the regulars, I thought, and so stated Ebenezer Munroe, Jun. who stood next to me on the left, that they had fired nothing but powder; but, on the second firing, Munroe said, they had fired something more than powder, for he had just received a wound in his arm; and now, said he, to use his own words, "I'll give them the guts of my gun." We then both took aim at the main body of the British troops--the smoke preventing our seeing anything but the heads of some of their horses--and discharged our pieces. After the second firing from the British troops, I distinctly saw Jonas Parker struggling on the ground, with his gun in hand, apparently attempting to load it. In this situation the British came up, run him through with his bayonet, and killed him on the spot. After I fired the first time, I retreated about ten rods, and then loaded my gun a second time, with two balls, and on firing at the British, the strength of the charge took off about a foot of my gun barrel.

Such was the general confusion, and so much firing on the part of the British, that it was impossible for me to know the number of our men, who fired immediately on receiving the second fire from the British troops; but that some of them fired, besides Ebenezer Munroe and myself, I am very confident. The regulars kept up a fire in all directions, as long as they could see a man of our company in arms. Isaac Muzzy, Jonathan Harrington, and my father Robert Munroe, were found dead near the place where our line was formed. Samuel Hadley and John Brown were killed after they had gotten off the common. Asahel Porter, of Woburn, who had been taken a prisoner by the British on their march to Lexington, attempted to make his escape, and was shot within a few rods of the common, Caleb Harrington was shot down on attempting to the leave the meeting-house, where he and some others had gone, before the British soldiers came up, for the purpose of removing a quantity of powder that was stored there.

On the morning of the 19th, two of the British soldiers, who were in the rear of the main body of their troops, were taken prisoners and disarmed by our men, and, a little after sun-rise, they were put under the care of Thomas R. Williard and myself, with orders to march them to Woburn Precinct, now Burlington. We conducted them as far as Captain Read's where they were put into the custody of some other persons, but whom I do not now recollect.

John Munroe

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

John married Rebecca Wellington on 17 Dec 1772. Rebecca was born on 6 Nov 1752 in Waltham, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA; died on 19 Feb 1838 in Lexington, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

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«i»Robert Munroe was a soldier in the French War, was the standard bearer at the taking of Louisburg, in 1758, he was also in the service in 1762. Having served the colonies against the French and Indians, it is natural to expect that he would be true to the family instinct, and the call of patriotism to defend the colonies against any other enemy. And so he was. he was the ensign of Captain Parker's company, and was on the Common on 19 Apr 1775, and stood at his post; and fell, one of the first victims of British oppression, on the very field where he was posted by his gallant commander. He was 64 years old at the time of his death.
«/i»
(History and Genealogy of the Lexington, Massachusetts Munroes, 2nd edition - by Richard S. Munroe)
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«i»Robert Munroe, was the first man killed in the Lexington fight and his name is the first on the monument erected on the Lexington Common."«/i»

("The Munroe Tavern" - an article from an unknown Boston area newspaper - 1911)
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Error alert: One reference says Robert was the brother of Col. William Munroe, owner of the Munroe Tavern at the time of the Battle of Lexington.

Ref: Clan Munro files - Bonney, Frances

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Robert married Anne Stone on 28 Jul 1737 in Lexington, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA. Anne (daughter of John Stone and Mary Reed) was born on 22 Nov 1718 in Lexington, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA; died on 27 Aug 1775 in Lexington, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Lexington, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Anne died just four months after her husband was killed by the British at the beginning of the Revolution- ary War.

Ref: Clan Munro files - Bonney, Frances

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Buried:
Anne was buried at the Old Cemetery in Lexington, Massachusetts.

Notes:

**********
(The following is from "The Monroe Book" by Dr. J. S. Guilford)

«i»Son William was appt. admin. of his estate on 23 Feb. 1746/7, wid. refusing to serve (Middlesex co. Pro. No. 15668) and the wid.'s thirds came to £1705.6.4. On 30 May 1749 the court ordered William, Robert and the heirs of George, Jr., to pay the other legatees their shares and in this doc. are named: Samuel; Andrew; Sarah Stearns' heirs; Lydia Watson; Lucy Parker. On 26 Feb 1753, the court ordered the division of the remainder of the estate, wid. Sarah now dec'd.«/i»
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George was a tythingman in 1719 and selectman in 1728. One reference says he was born in 1670 and died in 1746.

The Ellis reference says that George's mother was Mary Ball.

Ref: Clan Munro files - Bonney, Frances
Yard, F. L. Dixon
Jewell, Dana Munroe

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

George married Sarah Mooer est 1698. Sarah was born in 1677 in Newbury, Essex Co., Massachusetts, USA; died on 4 Dec 1752 in Cambridge, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Lexington, Middlesex Co., Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Most genealogists say that the wife of George Munroe was named Sarah Harrington, but the Furbush reference argues persuasively that her name was Sarah Mooer, the sister of the wives of John Munroe and Daniel Munroe, George's brothers. This marriage is cited in "Torrey's Early Marriages" p. 514 and in "The Essex Antiquarian" Vol 2, p. 152.

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Buried:
Sarah was buried in the Old Cemetery.

Notes:

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Birth:
Estimate: This birth date is an estimate based on the birth dates of nearest relatives or contemporaries, or based on other clues such as christening date, marriage date, birth order, etc.

John married Mary Reed. Mary was born about 1695; and died. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Compiled and edited by Allen Alger, Genealogist, Clan Munro Association, USA

Birth:
Estimate: This birth date is an estimate based on the birth dates of nearest relatives or contemporaries, or based on other clues such as christening date, marriage date, birth order, etc.